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SPOTLIGHT ON TONCONTÍN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

8 September 2015

Said to be one of the most extreme airports in the world, Toncontín International Airport has actually been made tamer over the years. It still has a very short runway, though it has been extended, previously it was approximately 3000 feet shorter than that of LAX, and part of the mountainside on approach has been excavated to provide pilots with more room. All this aside, it’s still a challenge, with a steep descent, and a sharp turn onto the runway, with mountains on all sides and a city hugging the edges of the airport. There is no room for any excess manoeuvring, especially if there’s a bit of a crosswind. Currently the largest aircraft cleared for landing there is a Boeing 757, but in the past there have been a few larger aircraft to grace its runway, most noticeably a Douglas DC-8 and a C-17 Globemaster.